When batter scores heavily in domestic, he becomes NRI: Manjrekar
The Indian cricket team has been facing a lot of challenges in recent times, and one of the major concerns is the performance of the batters in home conditions. Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has come up with a unique observation, stating that an Indian batter becomes an NRI (Non-Resident Indian) when he scores heavily in domestic cricket and gets selected for India. This statement might seem perplexing at first, but it highlights the issue of Indian batters struggling to adapt to home conditions after playing a significant amount of cricket abroad.
Manjrekar’s comment came in the wake of India’s 0-2 defeat against South Africa in the recently concluded Test series. The Indian batters failed to impress, and their inability to cope with the South African conditions was evident. However, what’s more concerning is that this is not an isolated incident. The Indian team has been struggling to perform consistently in home conditions, and this trend has been ongoing for a while now.
According to Manjrekar, the primary reason for this struggle is the lack of experience in Indian conditions. He pointed out that cricketers like Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant have played nine to 12 Tests away from home in the last two years. This extensive experience in foreign conditions has left them poorly prepared for the challenges of Indian pitches.
“When a batter scores heavily in domestic cricket, he becomes like an NRI,” Manjrekar said. “He is not used to playing in Indian conditions, and when he comes back to play for India, he struggles to adapt.” This statement highlights the paradox of Indian cricket, where batters dominate in domestic cricket but struggle to replicate their performances in international matches at home.
The issue is not just limited to the batters; it’s a systemic problem that affects the entire team. The Indian cricket team has been playing a lot of cricket abroad, which is great for their overall development, but it comes at the cost of experience in home conditions. The team’s schedule is packed with international matches, and the players hardly get any time to play domestic cricket.
This lack of experience in Indian conditions is evident in the way the team performs at home. The Indian team has been struggling to win Test matches at home, and their batting has been a major concern. The team’s over-reliance on a few experienced batters has been exposed, and the lack of depth in the batting lineup has been a significant issue.
So, what’s the solution to this problem? Manjrekar suggests that the Indian team needs to find a way to balance their international schedule with domestic cricket. The players need to play more domestic cricket to get used to the Indian conditions, and the team needs to prioritize experience in home conditions.
Another solution could be to have a separate team for domestic cricket, which would allow the players to gain experience in Indian conditions without affecting the international team’s schedule. This would also help to identify new talent and give them a chance to develop their skills in home conditions.
In conclusion, Sanjay Manjrekar’s statement highlights the challenges faced by Indian batters in home conditions. The team’s lack of experience in Indian conditions is a significant concern, and it’s essential to address this issue to improve their performance at home. The Indian cricket team needs to find a way to balance their international schedule with domestic cricket, and the players need to prioritize experience in home conditions.
As the Indian team prepares for their next series, they need to take Manjrekar’s words into consideration. The team needs to work on their batting, and the players need to get used to the Indian conditions. Only then can they hope to perform consistently at home and regain their dominance in Test cricket.
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